Field
The invention is directed to a field replaceable power supply cartridge and more particularly to a field replaceable power supply cartridge for use within lighting fixture assemblies.
Description of the Related Art
There are many different electric lighting technologies, which all require a power supply, a transformer or a ballast (e.g., LED, HID, Compact Fluorescent, linear fluorescent, low-voltage halogen, etc.). All of the above mentioned lighting technologies can be used in many different form factors, such as recessed down lights, pendants, sconces, chandeliers, exterior lighting, high-bay warehouse fixtures, landscape lighting, cove lighting, linear lighting, under-cabinet lighting, ceiling mounted fixtures, track lighting, etc. One of the most common types of light fixtures which use an integrated power supply is recessed down lights.
Recessed down lights are a popular and elegant way to provide lighting to a space, with the recessed down lights mounted in a ceiling so that only a trim ring and the light bulb is open to view, while the rest of the components, including the power supply (e.g. LED driver, fluorescent ballast, HID ballast or step down transformer), are disposed on the other side of the ceiling and hidden from view. The power supply is typically housed in a sheet metal or plastic box. Power supplies fail over time, for example, due to the exposure of the electronics to heat generated by the lighting system.
One drawback with conventional power supplies is that they can be difficult and time consuming to replace because of the limited access space through the ceiling opening where the recessed down light is mounted. In a typical recessed down light, replacing the power supply includes reaching through the aperture in the ceiling and around the lighting assembly, removing wing nuts or thumb nuts (or other types of threaded fasteners) that attach the power supply to the lighting assembly, removing the power supply through the ceiling aperture along with the lead wires that wire the power supply to the lighting assembly, cutting and stripping the wires and attaching them to the new power supply, inserting the new power supply through the ceiling aperture, and coupling the new power supply to the lighting assembly with the thumb screws or thumb nuts. Because all of this is done through the limited space provided by the ceiling aperture for the recessed down light, a user has to perform all of these steps with a single hand, which makes the process take longer, particularly because of all the different parts and steps that are involved in replacing the power supply. And in most cases the user cannot see the power supply within the recessed down light, and therefore has to remove and replace the fasteners without a line of sight to the power supply assembly while performing these steps.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved and simpler system and method for replacing a power supply within a light fixture assembly.